Fakesgiving offers time to celebrate with friends

Nov. 20, 2012

Written by

Annakate Tefft Ross

laaguacate.com

Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite times of year. Celebrating a delicious meal with people you care for while giving thanks is, I think, an easy concept to get behind.

Several years ago my girlfriends and I started a tradition of preparing a Thanksgiving meal for our group of friends before we all went our separate ways for the actual holiday. The first year we decided to do this, to accommodate schedules, we held our feast in October. Because of this timing, we began calling this event “Fakesgiving.” The name stuck, and we’ve carried on this tradition ever since.

The first year of Fakesgiving, in our small apartment, we pushed our couch to the wall and lined up our only proper table, an end table and a card table, then surrounded our creation with a smattering of mismatched chairs, stools, benches and even a box to create seating for about 15 people. We decorated with gourds, candles and mismatched placemats, and we all prepared our favorite Thanksgiving dishes from our family feasts. Over dinner (and a healthy dose of red wine) we shared stories and caught up. It wasn’t fancy, but those friendly dinners are some of my favorite memories to date and I think they embody just what Thanksgiving is supposed to be.

I’ve shared two of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes below. A version of the stuffing appeared at that first Fakesgiving, but the gravy is new. They’re both vegetarian, but I guarantee your carnivorous friends and family won’t know the difference. The porcini mushroom gravy is really out of this world. It’s rich and savory, and while I love a good old-fashioned gravy made from pan juices, this is one to try. Plus, since it doesn’t require the drippings from the bird, you can make it the day before and reheat it.

Thanksgiving food is so delicious — think of those pies, mashed potatoes, the turkey — why not have it more than once a year? Keep in mind that Fakesgiving can be celebrated any time, not just in the weeks around the fourth Thursday in November. Enjoy your holiday tomorrow, but just remember: If you get a craving for gravy in June, don’t forget Fakesgiving!

Nutty Whole Grain Apple-Raisin Stuffing (vegetarian)

Serves 6

The Brussels sprouts add color and texture to this nutty, full-flavored stuffing.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear bread into small pieces, roughly the same size. Let dry overnight. Alternatively, bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until toasted. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion, carrots and celery for 5-6 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add thyme and garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove vegetables from heat and add to a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Add in apple, raisins and sunflower seeds to baking pan.

3. Chop ends of Brussels sprouts to make leaves easier to peel. Separate as many leaves as possible from each sprout, quartering core. Add to baking pan.

4. Toss bread crumbs with stuffing ingredients in baking dish until well combined. Starting with one cup, pour broth evenly over baking dish until stuffing mixture is well-moistened, to taste. Dot stuffing with butter, cover with foil and bake for 30-40 minutes, until broth is absorbed. Remove foil for last 10 minutes or so to brown slightly.

Porcini Mushroom Gravy (vegetarian)

Serves 6

This recipe is adapted from a Viking Cooking School recipe. Find dried porcinis in the produce section of nicer grocery stores (Publix carries them in Nashville).

1. Bring dried mushrooms and broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and let steep 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, coarsely chop mushrooms, then add back to broth. Reserve mushroom/broth mixture.

2. In a small nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter with flour until a paste forms. Set aside.

3. In a medium skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add garlic, parsley, thyme and rosemary, and sauté until fragrant. Add in mushroom/broth mixture and wine and simmer for 30 minutes. Whisk in flour/butter mixture. Boil until reduced to 4 cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Annakate Tefft Ross is the PR/Social Media Manager for Just A Pinch Recipe Club, a recipe and coupon social network. A culinary enthusiast, Annakate ponders food and drink on her blog www.laaguacate.com. Find her on twitter @annakatet or email annakate.tefft@gmail.com.